My mother also talked about periods to my brothers.

When I first got mine I had terrible cramps. Crippling cramps. I once was camping with my family and a few of my big brother’s friends when my period came. My cramps were so bad that my mom gave me a full pain killer ( I was 13 and before that she only gave me pills cut in half).

I literally laid down on my parents’ air mattress and cried in pain for an hour before the pill kicked in.

My brothers friend came in to the big tent and I was just curled up and sobbing. Now, I was quite the tomboy and was known to rough house with my brothers and their friends and made sure I wasnt seen as just “a little girl.” So my brother’s friend was confused to see me openly weeping in the fetal position (seriously, these were the worst cramps I have had in my life. My vision went white). He asked what was wrong with me.

My big brother stood up immediately and suggested a nice long hike. During this hike I am sure he had a pretty awkward conversation with his friend explaining menstrual cramps, because when they got back the pain pill had (mostly) kicked in and I was sitting up at a table when my brother’s friend sheepishly asked me if I was feeling better. I said I was better, and he said good.

When we made s'mores that night my brother and his friend kept me well supplied with chocolate.

Making sure sons know as much about periods and menstruation as daughters makes them better brothers, better sons better fathers, and better men. A man that understands a period will not lightly accuse a woman of “being on her period” if the woman is in an argument.

I have a LOT of favourites, but here are a few that I really like in no particular order:

We should all be feminists - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

The danger of a single story - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

A woman’s fury holds lifetimes of wisdom - Tracee Ellis Ross

My year of saying yes to everything - Shonda Rhimes

The price of shame - Monica Lewinsky

A celebration of natural hair - Cheyenne Cochrane

What does my headscarf mean to you? - Yassmin Abdel-Magied

Aid versus trade - Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

A girl who demanded school - Kakenya Ntaiya

An interview with Mauritius’s first female president - Ameena Gurib-Fakim & Stephanie Busarie

Economic growth has stalled. Let’s fix it - Dambisa Moyo

Change your channel - Mallence Bart Williams

Color blind or color brave? - Melody Hobson

Your privilege is showing - Lillian Medville

3 lessons of success from an Arab businesswoman - Leila Hoteit

The psychology of seduction - Raj Persaud

The art of seduction - Seema Anand

The power of seduction in our everyday lives - Chen Lizra

The laws that sex workers really want - Juno Mac

What do sex workers want? - Juno Mac

Sex work is integral to the feminist movement - Tilly Lawless

Someone you love could be a sex worker - Valerie Scott

Sex trafficking isn’t what you think it is - Meghan Sobel

How to spot human trafficking - Kanani Titchen

The virginity fraud - Nina Dølvik Brochmann & Ellen Støkken Dahl

How to spot a liar - Pamela Meyer

How to manipulate emotions - Timon Krause

Your body language may shape who you are - Amy Cuddy

Why ordinary people need to understand power - Eric Liu

How great leaders inspire action - Simon Sinek

Inside the mind of a master procrastinator - Tim Urban

Know your worth and then ask for it - Casey Brown

How to speak so that people want to listen - Julian Treasure

How to make stress your friend - Kelly McGonigal

Keep your goals to yourself - Derek Sivers

There’s more to life than being happy - Emily Esfahani Smith

A simple way to break a bad habit - Judson Brewer

How to speak up for yourself - Adam Galinsky

Why you should define your fears instead of your goals - Tim Ferriss

A powerful poem about what it feels like to be transgender - Lee Mokobe

Embrace the near win - Sarah Lewis

The secret of self control - Jonathan Bricker